A police force has been sending suspected paedophiles who they believe may be grooming children warning notices urging them to change their ways.

Hampshire Police started using the 'C5 notices' in November 2016 for situations in which they don't have enough evidence to charge.

The force hopes the leaflets will make suspected paedophiles 'realise what they're doing' and educate them on the age of consent.

Since their introduction, 54 of the notices have been handed out.

According to figures supplied by the force, ten of those who received the notices are aged under-18, while two are women.

Nine recipients later also went on to be charged with a sexual offence.

The 'C5 notice' warns the recipient that their 'sexual behaviour has come to the attention of Hampshire Constabulary'. It goes on to say that police think the recipient 'may have been involved in abusive sexual behaviour'

The notices cover five areas and urge the recipient to think about them. They include communication, conduct, control, consent and consequences

One example case mentioned by the force was that of a woman who had been reported to police after 15 and 16-year-old boys were seen in her flat.

She has not come to police attention since the notice was issued.

The leaflets begin by saying: 'Your sexual behaviour has come to the attention of Hampshire Constabulary.

'We believe you may have been involved in abusive sexual behaviour towards children.

'We are serving you this notice so you have the opportunity to think about your behaviour and to change it.'

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But one Police Crime Commissioner has criticised the leaflets saying they 'won't protect a soul'.

There are also concerns the leaflets could risk penalising innocent people as they could show up in an enhanced DBS check.

The BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show has obtained figures from Hampshire Police revealing that 54 of the notices have been handed out since their introduction.

Men received 52 of these and 34 were given to people aged 25 and under.

The notices tackle five main areas, communication, conduct, control, consent and consequences.

They also ask questions such as: 'Do you know it is against the law for anyone to have sex with someone under the age of 16?'

One police officer, Sergeant Antony Waghorn, gave the BBC an example in which the notice was able to give them 'a foot in the door' and educate someone on the age of consent.

But some of raised serious concern over the use of the leaflet, blaming police cuts for their introduction.

Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird told the BBC that the scheme 'won't protect a soul'.

She said: 'I don't know of anything else like this at all. There's nothing like a prospect of a conviction with this.'

Sergeant Antony Waghorn (left) has handed out three of the notices and gave an example of one case in which they were able to give him a 'foot in the door' to educate someone on the age of consent. While Aine Kervick (right), a criminal defence lawyer at Kingsley Napley, said the notices could be seen as 'criminalisation by default'

While Aine Kervick, a criminal defence lawyer at Kingsley Napley, said the notices were 'criminalisation by default'.

People have been taking to Twitter to share their thoughts on the notices.

One user, called North Utsire, said: 'Hope you will highlight reduction in police numbers and resources that contribute to this. Cuts have consequences.'

While Alex said: 'Surely if someone was investigated and not charged then these people could be 100 per cent innocent - yet handed a notice anyway?

'It concerns me that these could be handed out to non-paedophiles and ruin the reputation of completely innocent people.'

Hampshire Police told the BBC that the scheme was not a cost-cutting measure and that they would not ordinarily show up in a DBS check.

A Hampshire Police spokeswoman said: 'We have introduced a new process for changing potential perpetrator behaviour in CSE cases which do not result in a person being charged.

'Working with a leading criminologist Dr Graham Hill and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a disruption notice known as C5 Notice has been developed.

'The notice makes clear the law around sexual offending and what types of behaviour and acts are unacceptable.

'The notice will only be served on perpetrators who have been released with no further action following a thorough police investigation or where intelligence exists that cannot be developed and service of the notice would not increase the risk to a victim.'